Rotary card file

ABSTRACT

A rotary card file in which a card holder supported for rotation by a base structure has a plurality of trays that extend from a central hub and are equipped with retainer tracks that keep the cards in file alignment when the card holder is turned to position the tray in an upwardly facing access position, and which support the cards suspended from the tray when the card holder is turned to position the tray in a downwardly facing storage position.

Unite States atet 1191 Karper 1451 May 22, M73

[54] ROTARY CARD FILE 2,517,678 8/1950 Knittel ..3l2/l86 [76] lnventor: Albert Karper, 5700 Collins E P Avenue Miami Beach Fla 3 40 arper 3,602,563 8/1971 Karper ..3l2/l89 [22] Filed: Dec. 23, 1971 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam PP 211,420 Att.0rney Irving Seidman and Julius Fisher 52 us. c1. ..3l2/186 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..A47b 63/00, B42f 9/00 A rotary card file in which a card holder Supported f Fleld ofSearch 1 rotation y a base Structure has a plurality of trays that extend from a central hub and are equipped with References Cted retainer tracks that keep the cards in file alignment UNITED STATES PATENTS when the card holder is turned to position the tray in an upwardly facing access position, and Wl'llCh support 2,172,444 9/1939 Larson et al ..3l2/185 the cards suspended from the tray when the card 2,389,923 Miller r UX holder is turned to position the tray in a downwardly 2,424,144 7/1947 Bruen v v ..3l2/189 facing Storage position 2,44l,7l7 5/1948 Nero ..3l2/l89 X 5 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures Rial/l PA m TENTEL 22|975 3,734,587

SHEET 2 BF 4 ROTARY CARI) FILE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to card files and more particularly to card file having a card holder that is supported for rotation by a base structure.

In the prior art there are a variety of card file configurations, such as are disclosed by my U. S. Pat. No. 3,253,871 and No. 3,602,563, and'the well known rotary file in which the cards are secured to a rotatable drum by circumferential tracks provided thereon. Some of the disadvantages of the drum type rotary card file are that the number of cards that can be filed is limited by the circumferential length of the drum and that the space occupied by the drum cannot be used for card storage.

The invention provides a rotary card file in which the card holder has one or more trays for carrying cards in file. This allows more cards to be stacked within a given overall space envelope than was possible with a drum type card holder.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotatable card holder has three trays that extend symmetrically from a central hub. Each tray is equipped with retainer tracks that keep the cards in file alignment when the card holder is turned to position the tray in an upwardly facing access position. The retainer tracks also support the cards suspended from the tray when the card holder is turned to position the tray in a downwardly facing storage position.

The invention further provides a card holder in which the trays thereof are adapted to receive removable inserts that hold pre-filed cards. This makes it possible to quickly exchange different separately storable sets of cards without individual handling or disturbing the filing order.

For a better understanding of the invention and its various advantages, reference should be hadto the accompanying drawing and following detailed description which exemplify preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary card file according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of the card file shown in FIG. 1 as taken along line 2-2 therein.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the card file similar to FiG. 2, but with the card holder rotated 60 and'some of the cards removed to show details thereof.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the card file shown in FIG. 1 as taken along line 4-4 therein, and illustrating in detail the cross-sectional configuration of one type of tracks used for retaining the cards.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FiG. 4, which illustrates another type of tracks that can be used in the invention for retaining the cards.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an expandible card holder that can be used in the card file of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a card holder having trays with integrally formed curved bases that provide increased card capacity.

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a card holder similar to that shown in FIG. 7, but having trays with attached separate curved bases.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of another type of card holder in which the trays are adapted to receive removable inserts for holding pre-filed cards.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a card tray insert which can be used in the card holder of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a transverse sectional view of a card holder in which the trays are adapted to receive removable inserts that are slidable into guides open at the sides of the trays.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a card tray insert which can be used in the card holder of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a rotary card file according to another embodiment of the invention in which there is provided a closure for covering the card holder.

FIG. 14 is an elevation section view of the rotary card file shown in FIG. 13 as seen with the closure in its open position.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a rotary card file according to a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the rotary card file shown in FIG. 15 as taken along line 16-16 therein.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of the rotary card file shown in FIG. 15 as taken along line 17-17 therein.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a rotary card file according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 is an exploded view of the card holder used in the rotary card file shown in FIG. 18.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 1-4 there is exemplified a rotary card file 10 in which a card holder 11 is supported by a base structure 12 for rotation relative thereto about a fixed axis defined by the centerline of a shaft 13 received by opposite sides 14 and 15 of base 12.

Card holder 11 has three trays 16A, 16B, 16C which are connected to corresponding sides of a triangular central hub 17 and extend therefrom in equally spaced relation thereabout.

The trays 16A, 16B, 16C serve for carrying cards 18 in file order, and for such purpose there is provided for each tray 16A, 16B, 16C retainer means supported thereby. In the particular embodiment of the invention represented by FIGS. 14, such retainer means are tracks 19 that are integrally connected to the tray 16A, 16B, 16C and extend in planes generally perpendicular to the card holder 11 rotation axis. The cross section of each track 19 is, as can be best seen in FIG. 4, chosen so that it can be slipped into similar T-shaped slots provided in the cards 18. Preferably two tracks 19, arranged parallel, are provided for each tray 16A, 16B, 16C.

Tracks 19 retain the cards 18 in alignment when the card holder 11 is turned to position a selected tray 16A-C in an upwardly facing position, and to support the cards 18 suspended from the tray 16A-C when the card holder 11 is turned to position the tray 16A-C in a downwardly facing position. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tray 16A is facing upwardly so as to present the cards 18 carried thereby for access, whereas the trays 16B and 16C are facing downwardly and the cards 18 which they carry are suspended from their associated tracks 19.

In the operation of card file 10, the holder 11 is turned manually such that one tray 16A-C at a time is in the access position. To avoid unintentional turning of holder 11, there is provided detent latch means that is operable to secure holder 11 in any one of three angular index positions each corresponding to a particular tray 16A-C in access position. While any conventional latch means can be employed for this purpose, the invention provides three recessed sockets 211AC in the end of hub 17 and a spring-loaded ball piece 21 on the inside face of the base side 14. The end of piece 21 engages into one of the sockets 20-A-C at a time to secure the corresponding tray 16A-C in access position, as for example, in FIG. 2 piece 21 is in socket 20A to secure tray 16A for access. In FIG. 3, the holder 11 is turned to an intermediate position, as when shifting tray 16C into access position, and, of course, the piece 21 (shown in phantom) rides against hub 17.

For each tray 16A-C there is provided a card protector 22, made of heavy sheet plastic, cardboard, or the like. Protector 22 is expediently received by tracks 19 so as to be supported by the tray 16A-C for movement therewith, and is disposed to extend beyond the height of the cards 18 carried by the tray 16A'C so as to pro tect the cards 18 from contact with the bottom 23 and back ledge 24 of base 12 when holder 11 is turned.

Protector 22 is arranged so as to catch against ledge 24, as shown in FIG. 3, and thereby prevent holder 11 from being turned counterclockwise, or backwards more than a small fraction of a turn, and yet not interfere with turning holder llforward or clockwise. From FIG. 2 it can be noted that protector 22 is designed for wiping contact engagement with the base bottom 23 such that the cards 18 in tray 1613 are supported by protector 22 in stacked relation for compact storage when holder 11 is turned to position tray 16B facing down wardly.

Another advantageous feature of the invention is that the back of each tray 16A-C projects beyond the inner edge of the next succeeding surface for the cards carried thereby. In FIGS. 1 and 2 this can be noted and the last card 18 in the stack thereof lies against the back 25 of tray 16C so that the entire stack of cards 18 on tray 16A is supported for convenient access and examination.

FIG. 5 illustrates that the card retainer tracks need not be integral with the trays, but can be as the tracks 26, each releasably connected to the associated tray 16A-C as by insertion at one end into a slotted channel 28 attached to the back of the preceding tray, and insertion at the opposite end into a similar channel (not shown) attached to the inside of a tray ledge similar to the ledges 29 shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 6 shows a card holder 11A construction that can be employed in the file 10 to accommodate different widths of cards 18. Holder 11A has a plurality of tandem joined sections 31, 32, 33 each having a respective hub piece 34, 35, 36 to which are connected tray sections 38, 39, 40.

If desired, the card holder 11 shown in FIG. 1 could be made of two sections 31 and 33 joined together such as to abut along a line X. To hold wider cards 18, the smaller middle section 32 would merely be installed upon the shaft 13 between the two end sections 31 and 33.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a card holder 118 in which the trays 41 have integrally joined curved base surfaces 42 that provide greater card stacking length than a flat surface in a tray 41 of the same size.

FIG. 8 shows another type card holder 11C in which the trays 45 are adapted to receive separate attachable inserts 46 which have curved base surfaces 47 to provide increased card capacity.

The trays 41 and 45 can have respective card retainer tracks 48 and 49 that are either integrally connected to the trays 41, 45 or are releasably connected thereto.

FIG. 9 shows a card holder 11D in which the trays 51 have grooves 52 extending in planes generally perpen dicular to the rotation axis of holder 1 1D and which arel disposed to receive a typical removable insert 53 that is adapted to hold a quantity of cards in pre-filed order. insert 53 has a bottom 54 and inclined end pieces 55 and 56 to which are attached channels 57. Channels 57 receive removable card retainer tracks 58. On the back of each tray 51 there is provided a swing catch 59 for securing the insert 53 at its end piece 55.

FIG. 10 shows a card tray insert 61 that can be substituted'for the insert 53 in card holder 11D. Insert 61 is expediently molded of plastic and has integrally joined retainer tracks 62, and flanges 63 that fit into grooves 52.

FIG. 11 shows a card holder 11E in which the trays 71' have grooves 72 extending parallel to the rotation axis of holder 11E and which are disposed to receive a typical removable insert 73 of the style shown in FIG. 12. Insert 73 has attached channels 74 that receive removable, slide-in, card retainer tracks 75.

' FIGS. 13 and 14 exemplify a rotary card file 10F in which the card holder 11F is supported by a closeable type base 12F that is equipped with a closure 76 supported by base 12F for movement relative thereto from the open position shown in FIG. 14, in which card holder 11F is exposed for access, to a closed position, as shown in FIG. 13, in which holder 11F is enclosed. For convenience in opening and closing the closure 76 is equipped with a lip 77 that cooperates with base 12F to limit the movement of closure 76 at its extreme positions.

FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 exemplify another type of rotary card file 10G contemplated by the invention. Card file 16G has a single tray 81 that is supported at opposite ends by a box-like base 82 and is rotatable relative to base 82 about a central axis defined by projecting trunnions 83. The trunnions 83 are received through base 82 and at least one trunnion 83 is connected to a handle 84 which aids in turning tray 81 either to its upwardly facing position, shown in FIGS. 15-17, or to its downwardly facing position as shown in phantom in FIG. 16. Tray 81 is equipped with grooves 85 that are disposed to receive a card holder insert such as that shown in FIG. 19 and designated by 86.

The rotary card file 10H shown by FIGS. 18 and 19 is basically similar to that shown by FIGS. 15-17, and uses the same type of base 82, and trays 81, except that in the card file 10H there are two card holder trays 81 connected together back-to-back. Trays 81 in card file 10H are supported at opposite ends by trunnions 83, just as in card file 10G. Each tray 81 receives a card holder insert 86.

Handle 84 is turned to bring either one of the trays 81 to an upward facing position for access to the cards 18 thereof as desired. A removable cover 87 is expediently provided for the card file 10H.

It should be appreciated by the artisan that in the several embodiments of the invention herein described, different styles of card retainer tracks can be interchanged as desired, as can be done with the trays and card holder inserts. in any case, the length of channels used to support the ends of retainer tracks can be varied so that the spacing between tracks can be adjusted to accommodate different size cards.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary card file which comprises a base means, a card holder supported by said base means for rotation relative thereto about a given axis, and including a plurality of card holding trays extending in generally parallel relation to said axis, retainer means on each tray disposed to retain the cards in alignment when the tray is in an upwardly facing position, and to support the cards suspended from the tray when same is in a downwardly facing position, and a card protector carried by each tray and disposed to extend beyond the cards carried thereby, and to engage the base means to compress the cards of the tray into a compacted stacked relation when the tray is turned to a downwardly facing position.

2. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes a polygonal hub rotatable about said axis, and said trays are connected each to a corresponding side of said hub for extension therefrom.

3. A rotary card file according to claim I wherein at least one tray is disposed to receive a removable insert disposed to hold a quantity of cards in file order, and wherein said retainer means is connected to said insert and removable therewith.

4. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes a plurality of axial length sections coupled together along the direction of said axis to accommodate holding of cards having a width greater than the length of any one axial length section.

5. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes a pair of trays connected together back-to-back and supported at opposite ends by said base means for rotation relative thereto about said aXlS. 

1. A rotary card file which comprises a base means, a card holder supported by said base means for rotation relative thereto about a given axis, and including a plurality of card holding trays extending in generally parallel relation to said axis, retainer means on each tray disposed to retain the cards in alignment when the tray is in an upwardly facing position, and to support the cards suspended from the tray when same is in a downwardly facing position, and a card protector carried by each tray and disposed to extend beyond the cards carried thereby, and to engage the base means to compress the cards of the tray into a compacted stacked relation when the tray is turned to a downwardly facing position.
 2. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes a polygonal hub rotatable about said axis, and said trays are connected each to a corresponding side of said hub for extension therefrom.
 3. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein at least one tray is disposed to receive a removable insert disposed to hold a quantity of cards in file order, and wherein said retainer means is connected to said insert and removable therewith.
 4. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein saiD card holder includes a plurality of axial length sections coupled together along the direction of said axis to accommodate holding of cards having a width greater than the length of any one axial length section.
 5. A rotary card file according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes a pair of trays connected together back-to-back and supported at opposite ends by said base means for rotation relative thereto about said axis. 